Fall is in the air and with that, one of our favorite holidays is right around the corner! This Thanksgiving, we have more to think about aside from the food and fellowship that we look forward to every year. With COVID-19 cases on the rise in our state and across the country, this year, we’re tasked with planning holiday celebrations that keep our families safe.

When planning this year’s Thanksgiving festivities, consider these ways to make your holiday more COVID safe:

Keep the crowd small

While many of us are used to a long Thanksgiving table with loved ones gathered around, to keep family and friends safe this year, consider keeping your party small, limited to immediate family members. To share the meal with other family members and friends, try a virtual Thanksgiving feast. If you are gathering with extended family, as a rule of thumb, gather no more than ten people under one roof.

Take it to the great outdoors

With temperatures dropping, it’s a beautiful time to be outside! Consider planning your family dinner outdoors and spacing out place settings as much as possible. Perhaps even spread your feast across a few tables. Not only will you get to be safe and enjoy the weather, you may even have a front row seat to watch the little ones playing a game of touch football! If you do dine indoors, try to open windows to allow for more ventilation.

Make it your own!

Have guests bring their own drinks, plates, cups, and utensils. Better yet, make them single use, think paper plates and plastic utensils. If you are the host, call your guests ahead of time, and discuss the precautions you are taking to keep everyone safe. While it may be difficult, encourage guests to bring their own food. If that is not possible, limit the number of people in food preparation areas, and have one person serve the food.

Remember 4 Golden Rules of COVID-19

1. Wash your hands and sanitize high touch areas as often as possible.
2. Mask up to protect yourself and others. While eating, safely store your mask, and put it back on when you’re finished eating.
3. Social distance as much as possible.
4. Stay home and self-isolate if you are sick.

We hope these tips will help you have a happy, but more importantly healthy Thanksgiving.